text;

[thecacophony]

You all ever get into some kind of reading rut, where every plot and character seems to blend into each other? I guess it's easier to do when books are your job here.

[Clearly, someone's bored.]

So that being the case: what are you favorite books, what are they about and why do you like them? Can be anything from your own world too, I don't care much.

Comments

[bifroster]

Oh! Oh, yeah! It is fiction!

I mean, in my world it turns out that his theories about scientific advancement and magic weren't too far off, but you know, that is what happens when you run into alien civilizations that are millions of years ahead of yours.

[thecacophony]

You know about magic? Space magic? This isn't some Sith and Jedi thing again, is it?

[Her own learning about space has been—let's call it tragically small, in this case.]

Shit, the magic and science in my world were practically at war with one another. I can't imagine thinking of them as being so much alike.

[bifroster]

No, thank god. All of *that* is fictional in my world.

[Unless it really did happen a long, long time ago, in a galaxy far away ... George Lucas had some major explaining to do.]

It also helps that a lot of civilizations are pretty far away from one another. Earth is considered almost primitive by most standards. But why would magic and science go to war with one another?

[thecacophony]

Why does any group war with another? I mean, shit, you imagine a civilization built on magic and what happens to the people who don't have it.

You've got men who can fly on the wind and throw down lightning, and then there's someone with a giant machine to shoot him out of the sky. No matter the world, people will come up with a reason to fight each other.

So I guess, for the two to be near identitcal, means they've got to find common ground in my mind. Haven't seen much of that so far.

[bifroster]

I guess that question wasn't very good. But you're right, you don't need to have a specific reason to fight. Even without science or magic, people can do that.

But if you'd like to see some common ground between the two, I'd be more than happy to share my research. There's not a lot yet, but it's there.

[thecacophony]

[A few moments pass for Sal to process that invitation. Firstly, there's a snort of indignation at the very idea of research or studying. Stubborn, but typical. Before she can type out any kind of dismissal, however, her hands pause over the keyboard.

There's a sudden memory of someone from her own world that makes her pause, a woman who would be thrilled at the chance to see something like what this person is offering. Someone who would chide her aggressively for turning away such knowledge, when it could very well benefit her time here.

So, she sighs and scratches at the scar on her cheek and rethinks her answer.]

It couldn't hurt to take a look. Thanks for offering, I guess.

[Sal's rough around the edges, but she tries.]

[bifroster]

[Jane wouldn't be offended if she rejected the offer; slugging through data is not always everyone's favorite thing to do. The reply she gets certainly is rough, but Jane shrugs to herself. She wouldn't offer it if she didn't mean it.]

You're welcome. I'll get the data sent over to you in a little bit. I'm away from my computer at the moment.

[thecacophony]

Take your time. I'd say I'm not planning on going anywhere soon, but around here that's not always up to us, is it?

So...is this kind of research a hobby, or a job or something?

[The title of freemaker is foreign to this place, but it's the closest thing she recognizes. Pursuit of knowledge above all else.]

[bifroster]

Sadly, no.

[She's still working on it, though it is a bit frustrating how she is not getting anywhere still.]

I am an astrophysicist, so it's more like a life's calling to figure out the universe. Multiverse now.

[But that is an interesting title! Maybe she'd have to tell Jane about it and the rest of her world sometime.]

[thecacophony]

Astrophysicist, huh? Sounds new to me. An unstoppable quest for knowledge, however, I've heard that more than once.

Shit, I think I might've heard about the multiverse somewhere else here too. Superboy, maybe?

[Not that she expects some stranger to know who that is.]

[bifroster]

I think there have been people like that since there were first people. But I study how the universe works.

Oh! You mean Kon! Yeah, he's familiar with that. A lot of us experienced such things before coming here.

[Get to know enough people and everyone can be connected, somehow. Like Kevin Bacon.]

[thecacophony]

Well shit, if you put it that way, I guess figuring out science vs. magic is simple in comparison.

Yeah, that kid. If you're friends, I'll take that as a good sign on your behalf.

[bifroster]

Only to an extent. There is a point where technology gets so advanced it's pretty much 'magic'. That's the tough part.

Thanks! How did you and Kon meet? From when you arrived here?

[thecacophony]

On that point, you're going to have to prove it with this research of yours.

Yeah, it wasn't long after. We were both flying, and I offered to help out with his superhero gig. Not the worst idea—that kid has a serious fucking work ethic and can use the help sometimes. What about you two?

[bifroster]

Well, I think I've gotten the start of something. One report shouldn't be the end of the research of any question.

Oh, so you helped him! Thanks! You are absolutely right, he does kind of take on a lot. I responded to one of his first posts when he initially came and we just became friends over things like movies and science.